1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a wire cutter and more particularly to a hydraulic wire rope cutter for use in the field.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Presently available wire cutters for use in the field are either manual scissors type cutters or portable hydraulic units utilizing a hand pump lever for operating the hydraulic cutting device. Such a hydraulic wire cutter must be self contained, that is, it must have its own oil reservoir, pump mechanism etc., and is thus cumbersome and heavy to carry around in the field.
Such tools are essential in logging operations. Wire ropes, which are used to drag logs over rough terrain, must be cut to specific size for use on a skidder. A skidder is a motorized vehicle usually mounted on large pneumatic tires or on tracks for dragging logs out of the tree cutting area to an area near a makeshift road where the logs may be shorn of its branches and are to be transported out of the forest. The logs are dragged by the skidder by means of a wire rope lasso. The cables wear out quickly and must be changed frequently. The use of a wire cutter for cutting wire rope is therefore essential in the circumstances. A hydraulic wire rope cutter is necessary in the light of the sometimes large diameter wire rope utilized.